THE COAL STRIKE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10416, 21 March 1912, Page 2

THE COAL STRIKE.

THE MINIMUM WAGE BILL

SOME COMMENT ON THE MKASURE. United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. (Receive:! March 21, 10.10 a.m.) LONDON, March 20

The Opposition newspapers describe the Minimum Wage Bill as inadequate and a sham. Tho "Times" considers that the public at present prefers a gentle solution, but there is a possibility that radical treatment will ho required sooner or later. The owners generally consider the measure to bo a makeshift and the masters in the federation area, who conceded the minimum last autumn, were encouraged' to believe that the question was to have been .fought out again shortly. Many miners regard the Bill as satisfactory, especially! in North ales, where there is much distress.

MIXERS' FEDER ATION CONFERENCE.

THE MINIMUM WANTED

The Miners' Federation Conference, contrary to the advice of tho executive, passed a resolution that tho Bill would not bo acceptable unless it provided a minimum wage of five shillings for adults and two shillings for boys, and a schedule rate for hewers. The Labour Party was requested to move tho necessary amendments. At the start, there were differences regarding tho inclusion of tho schedule for hewers. Tho Welsh and Scottish delegates combined and carried the point by a majority of 12 out of 140. The confeienco adjourned till Friday. Mr Hall am, interviewed afterwards, said: "Wo aro as far from settlement as ever."

A conference of surfacemen of Yorkshire and Derbyshire, representing 10,000 men, passed a resolution that unless the Bill included a minimum wage for surfacemen the strike would continue.

IMPORTATION OF GERMAN COAL. Middlesborough is importing German coal for tho Relief Committee, but the dockers refused to unload it. The Corporation was divided on the point, but the majority arranged for volunteers to unload.